Working the waters together, side by side

VietNamNet Bridge – For 20 years Nguyen Van Vuong has taken to the seas fishing in areas he knows like the back of his hand. A coast guard vessel of the Coast Guard Zone 2 tows a fishing vessel to the land in the coastal central province of Quang Nam.- VNA/VNS Photo Van Nhieu But only recently, did 38-year-old Vương from the central province of Quang Ngai learn about the common fishing grounds between Vietnam and neighbouring countries. “I was told about the area we could go fishing and the area we could not,” said, Vuong, from the Tinh Son District. He and other fishermen often feared they might be in an area they shouldn’t be. “But now, it’s over,” he said. “We feel more comfortable.” He says it was thanks to the programme “Coast Guard Side by Side with Fishermen”, launched by the Viet Nam Coast Guard. Fishermen were given national flags to fly on their boats and were also told about the parallel between exploring aqua products and protecting the sovereignty of seas and islands. “Seeing the national flag flying in the wind on the top of my vessel, we feel proud and determine to maintain the sovereignty of our seas and islands,” he said. Not only Vuong but also thousands of fishermen across the country have benefited from the programme for two years. Tran Thanh Giang, of Quang Ngai Province’s Ly Son District, said he suffered from rheumatism for years. Suddenly, one morning in March, the marine… [Read full story]